Quatre animaux divers, le Chat grippe-fromage,
\nTriste-oiseau le Hibou, ronge-maille le Rat,
\n\tDame Belette au long corsage,
\n\tToutes gens d\u2019esprit sc\u00e9l\u00e9rat,
\nHantaient le tronc pourri d\u2019un pin vieux et sauvage.
\nTant y furent, qu\u2019un soir \u00e0 l\u2019entour de ce pin
\nL\u2019homme tendit ses rets. Le Chat, de grand matin
\n\tSort pour aller chercher sa proie.
\nLes derniers traits de l\u2019ombre emp\u00eachent qu\u2019il ne voie
\nLe filet : il y tombe en danger de mourir ;
\nEt mon Chat de crier, et le Rat d\u2019accourir,
\nL\u2019un plein de d\u00e9sespoir, et l\u2019autre plein de joie :
\nIl voyait dans les lacs son mortel ennemi.
\n\tLe pauvre Chat dit : \u00ab Cher ami,
\n\tLes marques de ta bienveillance
\n\tSont communes en mon endroit ;
\nViens m\u2019aider \u00e0 sortir du pi\u00e8ge o\u00f9 l\u2019ignorance
\n\tM\u2019a fait tomber. C\u2019est \u00e0 bon droit
\nQue seul entre les tiens, par amour singuli\u00e8re,
\nJe t\u2019ai toujours choy\u00e9, t\u2019aimant comme mes yeux.
\nJe n\u2019en ai point regret, et j\u2019en rends gr\u00e2ce aux Dieux.
\n\tJ\u2019allais leur faire ma pri\u00e8re ;
\nComme tout d\u00e9vot Chat en use les matins,
\nCe r\u00e9seau me retient : ma vie est en tes mains ;
\nViens dissoudre ces n\u0153uds. \u2013 Et quelle r\u00e9compense
\n\tEn aurai-je ? reprit le Rat.
\n\t\u2013 Je jure \u00e9ternelle alliance
\n\tAvec toi, repartit le Chat.
\nDispose de ma griffe, et sois en assurance :
\nEnvers et contre tous je te prot\u00e9gerai ;
\n\tEt la Belette mangerai
\n\tAvec l\u2019\u00e9poux de la Chouette :
\nIls t\u2019en veulent tous deux. \u00bb Le Rat dit : \u00ab Idiot !
\nMoi ton lib\u00e9rateur ? je ne suis pas si sot. \u00bb
\n\tPuis il s\u2019en va vers sa retraite.
\n\tLa Belette \u00e9tait pr\u00e8s du trou.
\nLe Rat grimpe plus haut ; il y voit le Hibou.
\nDangers de toutes parts : le plus pressant l\u2019emporte.
\nRonge-maille retourne au Chat, et fait en sorte
\nQu\u2019il d\u00e9tache un cha\u00eenon, puis un autre, et puis tant,
\n\tQu\u2019il d\u00e9gage enfin l\u2019hypocrite.
\n\tL\u2019homme para\u00eet en cet instant ;
\nLes nouveaux alli\u00e9s prennent tous deux la fuite.
\n\u00c0 quelque temps de l\u00e0, notre Chat vit de loin
\nSon Rat qui se tenait en alerte et sur ses gardes :
\n\u00ab Ah ! mon fr\u00e8re, dit-il, viens m\u2019embrasser ; ton soin
\n\tMe fait injure ; tu regardes
\n\tComme ennemi ton alli\u00e9.
\n\tPenses-tu que j\u2019aie oubli\u00e9
\n\tQu\u2019apr\u00e8s Dieu je te dois la vie ?
\n\u2013 Et moi, reprit le Rat, penses-tu que j\u2019oublie
\n\tTon naturel ? Aucun trait\u00e9
\nPeut-il forcer un chat \u00e0 la reconnaissance ?
\n\tS\u2019assure-t-on sur l\u2019alliance
\n\tQu\u2019a faite la n\u00e9cessit\u00e9 ?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"annee":[166],"poems-book":[142],"poemes-theme":[342,400,141],"poete":[151],"class_list":["post-1287","poemes","type-poemes","status-publish","hentry","annee-166","poems-book-fables","poemes-theme-animaux","poemes-theme-chat","poemes-theme-travail","poete-jean-de-la-fontaine"],"yoast_head":"\n